Trooper Zachary Fink, of the Florida Highway Patrol, died following a collision early Friday morning during a pursuit.Port St. Lucie Police Department
A Florida Highway Patrol trooper died early Friday morning after his patrol vehicle was struck by a tractor-trailer as he was pursuing a fleeting felon. Both Trooper Zachary Fink, a three-year veteran of the department, and the truck driver died as a result of the collision.
The truck driver died at the scene. Fink was airlifted to HCA Florida Lawnwood Hospital where he was pronounced dead.
Col. Gary Howze II of the Florida Highway Patrol told WPTV that Fink was in pursuit of a person driving a Kia in a reckless manner and speeding on I-95 just before 3 a.m. While trying to elude the trooper, the driver of the Kida attempted to change directions by making a U-turn to drive north in the southbound lanes.
"Trooper Fink, in an attempt to continue to apprehend the subject, and to warn unsuspecting motorists of the danger in the area, turned also with the vehicle. And unfortunately, turned into the immediate path of a semi-tractor trailer, which struck the left driver's side of his patrol car,” Howze told reporters.
After the collision between the truck and the trooper, the fleeing driver continued but crashed into a tree about two miles away from the first crash scene and fled on foot. Following a manhunt, he was taken into custody.
The St. Lucie County Sheriff's Office is leading the related criminal investigation, while the Florida Highway Patrol is handling the traffic homicide investigation into the trooper’s death.
“Our hearts go out to the family of FHP Trooper Zachary Fink, who was killed in the line of duty while attempting to detain a fleeing felon in St. Lucie County,” Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis said in a social media post on X, formerly known as Twitter.
